Brexit latest: EU tells Boris Johnson to propose new commissioner
The EU Commission’s incoming president has written a letter to Boris Johnson, telling the Prime Minister she expects him to propose a new candidate for commissioner.
The letter, sent by Ursula von der Leyen today, suggests Johnson put forward a female name.
Commission spokeswoman Dana Spinant told reporters: “The president-elect has sent a letter to Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister, in which she invites Mr Johnson to propose the name of a UK candidate, or candidates. This is also what she had put in the letter she sent to Theresa May in July.
“She also encourages the UK Prime Minister to propose female candidates, given Mrs von der Leyen’s objective to have gender parity in her Commission,” Spinant said.
“She invites Mr Johnson to reply quickly – as soon as possible – since our aim is that the make up of future college of commissioners would be completed quickly, so that European Parliament can vote before the end of November.”
The expectation had always been that the UK would be obliged to nominate a new commission member, as it appears in the text of the Council’s decision.
This states that the UK remains a full EU member until the new exit date, “with full rights and obligations… including the obligation to suggest a candidate for appointment as a member of the Commission”.
And von del Leyen has previously indicate she would expect this, telling journalists last month that: “If after 1st November… the UK is still in the European Union, then, of course, I would ask the UK to send a commissioner.”
But Johnson has been equally clear he does not intend to, telling MPs back in July: “we will not nominate a UK Commissioner for the new Commission taking office on 1st December – under no circumstances – though clearly this is not intended to stop the EU appointing a new Commission.”
Instead, Johnson said he wanted to “start unshackling” UK officials “trapped in meeting after meeting in Brussels and Luxembourg”, to deploy them on a new mission seeking new trade deals and promoting “Global Britain”.
Main image: Getty